The invention pertains to soap products. More particularly, the invention relates to a device for handling and control of a wet bar of soap in a bath or shower environment.
A wet bar of soap can present myriad hazards when handled in a wet environment. It is easy to drop a wet bar of soap, step on it while attempting to retrieve it and fall on hard tile or enamel surfaces resulting in serious injury. Various devices and techniques have been developed to provide improved means for controlling and handling soap bars in the bath, shower and kitchen environments.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,206,152 issued to Wimmer is directed to a means for supporting or suspending soap. Each form of the invention uses an elastic strand with a cake of soap in which the elastic strand passes through the soap, coupled to a container for the soap, or embedded in the soap.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,671,438 issued to Cilia, is directed to a soap and container therefore. The bar of soap has an aperture with insert to prevent the aperture from gradually expanding in size as the soap is continued to be used. The aperture provides the means by which the soap is supported in the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,319,847, issued to Clanton is directed to a non-slip holder for cake soap. The holder for the cake of soap comprises an envelope of a cage of a size to encompass a cake of soap, and on one face of the cage there is provided a pair of upstanding finger loops through which the user may project certain fingers to further assure that the cage and its contents will be held firmly when in use. Further, as the soap size diminishes it will remain within the holder.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,251,571 issued to Ernest is directed to a soap holder and adjustable loop. An adjustable loop is provided that may be tightened around a bar of soap to hold it securely even as its size diminishes with use, using a tightening device or cramp with an opening for tightening purposes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,871 issued to van Allen discloses a soap spindle. The soap holder is designed to hold a cake of soap that has a centrally disposed cylindrical cavity formed through its least dimension.
While other variations exist, the above-described designs for soap with retention devices are typical of those encountered in the prior art. It is an objective of the present invention to provide means for holding, picking up and controlling a wet bar of soap. It is a further objective to provide such means in a simple, economical device that may be easily installed on a bar of soap. It is a still further objective of the invention to provide a device that will continue to fit snugly on the bar of soap as it shrinks in size. It is yet a further objective to provide a soap with retention device that can be sold already packaged with a new bar of soap or may be added to existing bars as an add-on accessory.
While some of the objectives of the present invention are disclosed in the prior art, none of the inventions found include all of the requirements identified.
The present invention addresses all of the deficiencies of prior art soap with retention device inventions and satisfies all of the objectives described above.
(1) A bar of soap with retention device providing the desired features may be constructed from the following components. A bar of soap is provided. The bar of soap has an aperture through it. An elastic member is provided. The elastic member has a first end and a second end. At least one handling means is provided. The handling means includes means for attaching to the first end of the elastic member. The second end of the elastic member extends through the aperture of the bar of soap. Means are provided for attaching the second end of the elastic member to the bar of soap. When the handling means is attached to the elastic member and the elastic member is attached to the bar of soap, the bar of soap will be provided with means for easily handling the bar.
(2) In a variant of the invention, a bar of soap is provided. The bar of soap has a top surface, a bottom surface, first and second side edges and a first predetermined thickness. An aperture is provided. The aperture penetrates the bar of soap and extends through it. An elastic member is provided. The elastic member is formed as a closed loop and has a first end, a second end and a center section. At least one handling means is provided. The handling means has a first side, a second side, a second predetermined thickness and an opening. The opening extends from the first side to the second side. The center section of the elastic member is located within the opening of the handling means.
The first and second ends of the elastic member are passed through the aperture of the bar of soap and extend outwardly from it. The first end of the elastic member extends around the bar of soap in a first direction, is stretched over the handling means and located about the center section of the elastic member. The second end of the elastic member extends around the bar of soap in a second, opposite direction, is stretched over the handling means and located about the center section of the elastic member. When the elastic member is so located with respect to the bar of soap and the handling means, the handling means will be removably and elastically attached to the bar of soap.
(3) In another variant of the invention, a bar of soap is provided. The bar of soap has a top surface, a bottom surface, first and second side edges and a first predetermined thickness. An aperture is provided. The aperture penetrates the bar of soap and extends through it. First and second elastic members are provided. Each of the first and second elastic members is formed as a closed loop and has a first end, a second end and a center section. At least one handling means is provided. The handling means has a first side, a second side, a second predetermined thickness and an opening, the opening extending from the first side to the second side.
The center sections of each the elastic members are located within the opening of the handling means. The first ends of the elastic members are passed through the closed loop of the elastic members, thereby attaching the first ends to the handling means. The second ends of the first and second elastic members are passed through the aperture of the bar of soap and extend outwardly from it. The second end of the first elastic member extends around the bar of soap in a first direction, is stretched over the handling means and located about the center section of the elastic members. The second end of the second elastic member extends around the bar of soap in a second, opposite direction, is stretched over the handling means and located about the center section of the elastic members. When the elastic members are so located with respect to the bar of soap and the handling means, the handling means will be removably and elastically attached to the bar of soap.
(4) In a further variant, a bar of soap is provided. The bar of soap has a top surface, a bottom surface, first and second side edges and a first predetermined thickness. An aperture is provided. The aperture penetrates the bar of soap and extends through it. An elastic member is provided. The elastic member is formed as a closed loop and has a first end, a second end and a center section. At least one handling means is provided. The handling means has a first side, a second side, a second predetermined thickness and an opening. The opening extends from the first side to the second side.
The first end of the elastic member extends through the aperture. The second end of the elastic member is passed through the closed loop adjacent the first end, thereby securing the first end of the elastic member to the bar of soap. The second end of the elastic member is passed through the opening in the handling means and then over the bar of soap, thereby securing the second end of the elastic member to the handling means. When the elastic member is so located with respect to the bar of soap and the handling means, the handling means will be removably and elastically attached to the bar of soap.
(5) In yet a further variant, a bar of soap is provided. The bar of soap has a top surface, a bottom surface, first and second side edges and a first predetermined thickness. An aperture is provided. The aperture penetrates the bar of soap and extends through it. An elastic member is provided. The elastic member is formed as a closed loop and has a first end, a second end and a center section. At least one handling means is provided. The handling means has a first side, a second side, a second predetermined thickness and an opening. The opening extends from the first side to the second side.
A retainer clip is provided. The retainer clip is formed of semi-rigid planar material of a third predetermined thickness. The retainer clip has first and second ends and a surrounding edge. The retainer clip has a narrowed portion substantially equidistant from the first and second ends. The center section of the elastic member is located within the opening of the handling means. The first and second ends of the elastic member being passed through the aperture of the bar of soap and extend outwardly from it. The first and second ends of the elastic member are passed over the first and second ends of the retainer clip and located in the narrowed portion of the retainer clip. When the elastic member is so located with respect to the bar of soap, the handling means and the retainer clip, the handling means will be removably and elastically attached to the bar of soap.
(6) In another variant of the invention, a bar of soap is provided. The bar of soap has a top surface, a bottom surface, first and second side edges and a first predetermined thickness. An aperture is provided. The aperture penetrates the bar of soap and extends through it. An elastic member is provided. The elastic member is formed as a closed loop and has a first end, a second end and a center section. At least one handling means is provided. The handling means has a first side, a second side, a second predetermined thickness and an opening. The opening extends from the first side to the second side. A retainer clip is provided. The retainer clip is formed of semi-rigid planar material of a third predetermined thickness. The retainer clip has first and second ends and a surrounding edge. The retainer clip has a narrowed portion substantially equidistant from the first and second ends. The first end of the elastic member extends through the aperture. The second end of the elastic member is passed through the closed loop adjacent the first end, thereby securing the first end of the elastic member to the bar of soap. The first end of the elastic member is passed over the first and second ends of the retainer clip and located in the narrowed portion of the retainer clip. When the elastic member is so located with respect to the bar of soap, the handling means and the retainer clip, the handling means will be removably and elastically attached to the bar of soap.
(7) In still a further variant, the aperture extends from the top surface to the bottom surface of the bar of soap.
(8) In another variant of the invention, the aperture extends from the first side edge to the second side edge of the bar of soap.
(9) In yet another variant, the handling means is at least one ring.
(10) In a further variant, the handling means includes a series of finger-shaped indents in the opening.
(11) In still a further variant, the handling means includes an upwardly pointing rod.
(12) In a final variant of the invention, a kit for attaching a handling means to a bar of soap is provided. The kit includes means for creating an aperture in a bar of soap. An elastic member is provided. The elastic member is formed as a closed loop and has a first end, a second end and a center section. At least one handling means is provided. The handling means has a first side, a second side, a second predetermined thickness and an opening. The opening extends from the first side to the second side. When the means for creating an aperture in a bar of soap is applied to a bar of soap and the elastic member is attached to the handling means and the bar of soap through the aperture, a bar of soap with attached retention device will be formed.